The present invention relates to a portable radio apparatus serving also as a vehicle radio apparatus and, more particularly, to a structure for detachably mounting a portable radio apparatus on a vehicle mount unit or the like.
FIGS. 3A to 6B show several conventional portable radio apparatuses. A first conventional portable radio apparatus 15 which cannot be pivotally bent and the manner of attaching/detaching the portable radio apparatus 15 to/from a mount member 11 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3C. Recess portions 15a are formed in the two side surfaces of the portable radio apparatus 15. Release buttons 14, each having a hook 14a, are arranged on the mount member 11 at positions corresponding to the positions of the recess portions 15a in the two side surfaces. In addition, the mount member 11 has a holding portion 12 having a pivot mechanism for pushing the portable radio apparatus 15 upward with a spring 13 so as to cause the apparatus 15 to pivot about a shaft 12a up to a predetermined angle. When the portable radio apparatus 15 is to be mounted on the mount member 11, the apparatus 15 is placed on the holding portion 12, as indicated by an arrow E in FIG. 3A. Thereafter, the portable radio apparatus 15 is pushed in a direction indicated by an arrow F in FIG. 3B to set the apparatus 15 in the state shown in FIG. 3C. In this state, the recess portions 15a are engaged with the hooks 14a of the release buttons 14, thus completing the mounting operation. When the portable radio apparatus 15 is to be detached from the mount member 11, the release buttons 14 are depressed with fingers of a user. As a result, the hooks 14a are removed from the recess portions 15a, and the lock is released. The holding portion 12 is then pushed upward with the spring 13 to pivot about the shaft 12a up to the predetermined angle together with the portable radio apparatus 15, thereby allowing the user to remove the portable radio apparatus 15 from the mount member 11.
FIGS. 4A to 6B show second to fourth conventional portable radio apparatuses which can be pivotally bent and which will be described next with reference to FIGS. 4A to 6B. According to the second conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a receiver portion 21 and a transmitter portion 23 are normally set in a substantially straight line, as shown in FIG. 4A. The transmitter portion 23 can be pivoted about a joint shaft 22. When the apparatus is to be used, the relative angle defined by the receiver portion 21 and the transmitter portion 23 is changed, as shown in FIG. 4B, to facilitate speech communication. According to the third conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a receiver portion 31 and a transmitter portion 33 are normally set in a substantially straight line, as shown in FIG. 5A. A grip portion 32 for coupling the two portions 31 and 33 is made of a flexible material such as rubber. When the apparatus is to be used, the relative angle defined by the receiver portion 31 and the transmitter portion 33 is arbitrarily changed, as shown in FIG. 5B, to facilitate speech communication.
The fourth conventional apparatus shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is a perfectly foldable apparatus. While the apparatus is not used, a receiver portion 41 and a transmitter portion 43 are folded on each other through a support shaft 42, as shown in FIG. 6A. When the apparatus is to be used, the receiver portion 41 and the transmitter portion 43 are unfolded up to a proper angle, as shown in FIG. 6B, to allow speech communication. However, according to the structures of the second to fourth conventional apparatuses, each apparatus in a pivotal bent state for speech communication cannot be mounted/fixed on a vehicle mount unit without changing the state.
According to the first conventional portable radio apparatus, when the portable radio apparatus 15 is to be removed from the mount member 11, the release buttons 14 must be depressed with fingers of the user. That is, the user needs to perform a very cumbersome operation. In addition, owing to the structure of the mount mechanism, the release buttons 14 used for removing the portable radio apparatus 15 must be arranged on the side surfaces, increasing the width of the mount member 11 accordingly. As a result, the installation property of the mount member 11 deteriorates when it is installed in a vehicle. According to the second to fourth conventional apparatuses, in speech communication, the transmitter portions 23, 33, and 43 and the receiver portions 21, 31, and 41 can be pivotally bent to change their relative angles to the optimal angle for speech communication. In contrast to this, these apparatuses are not designed to be mounted, in a bent state, on vehicle mount units or the like in vehicles which often cause vibration. Therefore, when these apparatuses are connected to the vehicle mount units to be used as vehicle radio apparatuses, they cannot be stably fixed on the units, posing problems in speech communication or damaging the radio apparatuses themselves.